Who I Am

Original Artwork by Evelyn Shapiro

Evelyn Shapiro

What I Believe

I believe in transformation, curiosity, truth, justice, accountability, and hope. These values are limitless resources, but not always abundant. Choice and action shape outcomes.

The gap between limitless and limited resources is real. Healthy conflict can foster learning and growth. With strong values, we can achieve amazing feats together.

Evelyn Shapiro

What Shaped My Purpose

I am an intuitive learner and leader, raised by a family of social justice organizers from Chicago and Detroit. From an early age, I learned justice through action.

As a teenager, I focused on housing activism and special education advocacy, learning sign language from students with disabilities who taught me the power of finding one’s voice.

As a budding carpenter, I helped construct a Habitat for Humanity house with my community, experiencing the joy of creating hope together. The thrill of raising that wall with my “sweat equity” friends introduced me to the joy of building hope and opportunity together as a community.

What Matters

People deserve recognition for their contributions. Organizations and movements are experiments where methods matter—they can foster thriving ideas or divide through fear. These spaces should honor and celebrate people.

I am guided by the lessons learned from both success and challenges. Building together, celebrating successes, and recognizing shared stakes is essential.

Fun and joy matter. Play is essential for learning and growth, even for adults. Why leave it out of learning and development?

For fun in my free time, I like to kayak and cook and paint and garden with friends and family in the Pacific Northwest, where I have lived for over 25 years.